The List
by AlyssC01
Summary: Epilogue to Ley Line Drifter. Ivy and Daryl have a brief conversation in the hospital. ONE SHOT.


_TITLE: The List  
AUTHOR: Alyssa C_

_CATEGORY: One Shot, Epilogue._

_SPOILERS: Ley Line Drifter _

_RATING: R _

_WARNINGS: None _

_STATUS: Complete, one shot. _

_FEEDBACK: Please! Please I'll do tricks for reviews. Which? Well. Review and see. ;) _

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hollows although I would love to live there. _

_AN: This is my second Kim Harrison fan fic__. I had really promised myself that I wasn't going to do another. The author loves her work and I feel that I cannot do it justice, which is why I generally do not try. But, I was at a world poultry conference today (don't ask, please) and this scene would not leave me alone. I hope you enjoy it. It's short and most probably a one shot._

**The List**

It was almost dawn.

Ivy Tamwood sighed softly and pushed herself back into the chair, wishing that she could see the rising of the sun. It was a privilege that she wanted to enjoy for as long as she was alive – knowing that she would not appreciate it after death. But – the hospital room which she was in had no windows – feeling more like a cell.

Ivy grimaced and shuddered, looking at the woman on the bed whom she was here for. The feeling of being trapped came and went, bringing with it its memories of that fateful time she spend with her old Master before his second death. She shuddered and stood up abruptly, pushing her chair loudly.

The woman stirred and startled awake, immediately starting to cough.

Ivy blinked and quickly moved to the bed to steady her; worried that the woman might still be as disorientated as she was when she brought her to the ER. It had been a harrowing journey. She herself had been hurt and bleeding, a clear sign of the nymph's skill. Daryl was also hurt, and coughing up blood at an alarming rate. Ivy had cradled her in her arms like a child as she carried her into the hospital with, Daryl whispering a list of names, barely audible on her blood stained lips. By that time she was completely unresponsive to her questions or those of the doctors.

Her condition had been very hard to explain.

As the nymph struggled to get up, her hand gripped the side of the bed when she stopped coughing and she pushed hard against Ivy still holding onto her shoulders.

"Ssh…" The vampire said quickly, pushing her down and back into the pillows. This close she could smell Daryl's scent of hot gold and honey, reminding her strangely of a quiet and peaceful place.

It was such stark contrast to the violence she had seen in the woman just hours before.

"It's alright."

Daryl's eyes met hers bewildered as she tried to look around her.

"What is this place?" she demanded as her one hand moved up to grip the oxygen canula running to her nose. "What are you doing to me?"

Ivy continued to make a soothing sound as she quickly took Daryl's hand and folded her arm so that it would rest away from any of the tubes running to and from the woman.

"You are in hospital," she said, keeping her voice low and insistent, making double sure that she didn't loose eye contact. "It's a place of healers who are taking care of you and helping you. Don't touch anything Daryl please, it is what's healing you."

The Inderlander doctors had immediately put Daryl on a 100% oxygen line and – when they had stabilized her, moved her to the ward which dealt with immune compromised patients. Ivy had gone there after the doctors had seen to her to keep an eye on the nymph. Luckily, none of the staff questioned her presence.

Daryl looked at her wide eyed, her gaze darting to the various medical equipment standing around her. When her eyes returned to Ivy's there was a desperation in them that cut right through Ivy's soul.

"Please," Daryl rasped, "please tell me that I have been asleep – and that my dreams are nightmares instead of memories. Tell me that Sylvan is still imprisoned. Please."

A new guilt shot through her and – not for the first time – Ivy wished that she had not just blindly gone along with the pixie's plan but did some investigation of her own.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, which was all she needed to say.

Daryl closed her eyes, slow tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I have failed," she whispered. "All these years… Guarding him… Seeing the death of my kind… My sisters…" She trailed off, her pain so clear that Ivy had to draw back, hugging herself. She wished that she could say something to comfort the woman, but her pain was like a searing pulse. She turned to move back to the chair when she heard Daryl shift and bring her attention to her.

"You," she said – her tone almost accusing. "You were there."

Ivy swallowed and nodded numbly, knowing that there was no way she could deny her involvement.

Daryl's eyes narrowed slightly as she took a few deep breaths. "Yet," she said softly. "You are here – watching over me."

Ivy wasn't sure whether it was a question, a statement or an accusation so she chose to remain silent and move back to the uncomfortable hospital chair. Daryl followed her movements – her face pale and tragically beautiful.

"You remind me of my sisters," she stated softly.

Crossing her legs as she sat down, mindful of her injured arm, Ivy twisted her head to the side.

"Are they the names that you recite?" she asked softly, clearly startling the woman.

"Yes," Daryl said after a moment's hesitation. "I wasn't aware that I…" She trailed off when Ivy held up her slim hand.

"It's alright," she said. "You don't need to explain. Or apologize."

Daryl looked at her more closely. "You have your own list." This time it was clearly a statement not an accusation or a question. Ivy nodded slowly – knowing that she also didn't have to explain herself.

The nymph looked at her for a long time- breathing heavily despite the oxygen they were giving her.

"What's your name?" she queried finally; her voice so low and intense that she had to answer immediately.

"Ivy," she said simply and waited.

"Ivy," Daryl said as if she was trying the name on her tongue. "Ivy… You and I… We are the same." Her voice was starting to fade – her strength failing.

"Perhaps," Ivy said simply and glanced up to see a nurse come into the isolation room. "I have to go, nobody here will harm you. Just remain calm."

Daryl didn't reply immediately, but looked at the nurse, uncertainty painting her features for the first time. Ivy smiled briefly in farewell and got up to move to the door.

"Ivy."

She blinked surprised and turned back towards the bed where Daryl was looking at her, her face tight with vulnerability.

"Please," she said softly as the nurse moved in behind her bed to look at her vital signs. "Stay."

Ivy paused and shifted uncomfortably as she wrapped her arms around herself, glancing at the nurse for permission. The woman, a witch, was smiling to herself and nodded ever so slightly when Ivy's eyes landed on her.

"Okay," the vampire said softly and moved back to the chair. "Okay."

FIN


End file.
